Shared Site Intergenerational Care Programs with Older Adults and Young Children: A Scoping Review

Shared site intergenerational care programs (SSICPs) integrate care services for old and young generations in co-located contexts. A common form combines residential aged care and childcare services within a single site that is home to older adults and contains a childcare center. At present, SSICPs are under-researched and under-developed. Consequently, the aim of this scoping review is to review evidence on this type of SSICP, informing their future development. Nine articles met the inclusion criteria, and were analyzed with narrative synthesis and tabulation. Findings reveal benefits plus practices and principles underlying the establishment of SSICPs. While more research is needed to confirm outcomes and best practice, and examine possibilities beyond developed countries, this review demonstrates the potential of SSICPs as a viable model of care for older people and young children, and provides guidelines toward their development and implementation.